ACCIES go top on goal difference after draw with Cowdenbeath, while Dundee slump to defeat to third place Falkirk as the tussle at the top gets tighter

Cowdenbeath 1 Hamilton Academicals 1

RAGING boss Alex Neil blasted the officials after Accies missed the chance to move two points clear at the top.

They were denied by a 95th-minute Thomas O’Brien goal after Mickael Antoine-Curier had put them ahead just seconds earlier.

It was an incredible finish but Neil slammed ref Kevin Clancy for adding on so much time and denying his side a second-half penalty.

Accies are top on goal difference from Dundee but Neil said: “Only one team should have won. We hit the post three times and had a stone-wall penalty denied when their player had his arms above his head and clearly stopped the ball.

“The linesman is only 10 yards away and if that isn’t a penalty then I don’t know what is. There were no injuries in the second half so I don’t think that amount of extra time was merited at all. We feel hard done by.”

They had another great chance but Jason Scotland miskicked his effort six yards out having been played in by Mikey Devlin.

Long balls into the box were causing problems for Cowdenbeath and in 35 minutes Ziggy Gordon’s throw-in reached Scotland. His powerful strike smacked the post.

Just after the restart Accies were denied by the woodwork again as Darian Mackinnon’s low 22-yarder struck a post.

And they rattled a post for a third time in 55 minutes. Louis Longridge’s delivery picked out Scotland a and the striker looked stunned as his volley cannoned to safety.

Hamilton’s penalty claim came 15 minutes from time. Devlin’s attempted cross appeared to hit the hand of John Armstrong but the ref waved away Accies’ protests.

However, they finally broke the deadlock in stoppage time. Antoine-Curier latched on to Martin Canning’s punt before chipping Usai to claim his eighth of the season.

But the celebrations were cut short as Cowdenbeath levelled as the final whistle loomed with their first shot on target.

Nat Wedderburn flicked on Rory McKeown’s throw-in and O’Brien swept in from close range to earn his side a vital point.

Cowden gaffer Jimmy Nicholl (left) said: “It wasn’t a game for the purist but it’s another crucial point. It moves us a point closer to Alloa above us but we know we can play better.”

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Falkirk celebrate Mark Beck's strike against Dundee

Dundee 0 Falkirk 1

MARK BECK dumped Dundee off the top then vowed the born-again Bairns are ready for a flag fight.

The on-loan Carlisle hitman’s classy first-half header sank the Dark Blues and moved Falkirk to within six points of new league leaders Hamilton.

They could have won more comfortably but Dundee keeper Kyle Letheren saved a Mark Millar penalty.

Beck believes Gary Holt’s dark horses have what it takes to revive their faltering promotion push with five games to go.

Beck said: “It’s going right down to the wire and this shows we’ve got the bottle for the fight. Every team has a blip but hopefully we’ve had ours and we can kick on.

“The boys are buzzing after that. We’re really looking forward to the run-in.”

The Bairns took a shock lead in 18 minutes. Millar’s in-swinging corner saw the home defence hesitate and Beck rose unchallenged to power a header away from Letheren.

The hosts should have levelled matters in 22 minutes. Peter MacDonald slipped an inch-perfect pass to Craig Beattie but he could only fire a shot straight at keeper Michael McGovern.

Beattie missed a sitter to level things. Iain Davidson’s whipped cross was knocked down by MacDonald into the path of the ex-Celtwho dragged his effort wide.

Dundee had keeper Letheren to thank for keeping them in the game on the hour. Davidson’s clumsy tackle felled Millar who took the penalty himself but saw Letheren dive left to pull off a stunning save.

Dundee sent on both Christian Nade and Nicky Riley in a bid to haul themselves level but the visitors stood strong.

Falkirk boss Holt said: “They believed they could come here and get a result. I thought they were exceptional to a man.”

Dundee gaffer Paul Hartley felt his side should have been out of sight by the break after watching them slip behind rivals Hamilton Accies on goals scored.

He said: “It’s very frustrating. I thought we could have killed it in the first half with the number of chances created.

“Now we have to regroup for a massive game at Hamilton next weekend.”

Queen of the South 3 Morton 0

Queens boss Jim McIntyre hailed his side for putting ?Morton to the sword.

And McIntyre said: “Morton tried to play out from the back and we pressed them, caught them and punished them.

“That was the most important thing because in the past we have not been clinical enough – but today we were.”

Queens skipper Higgins headed his side in front after just nine minutes .

Five minutes into the second half and ex-Morton marksman Lyle doubled Queens’ lead with a neat finish to Michael Paton’s low cross.

Gavin Reilly knocked in the third from close range with nine minutes left following a fine run and low pass from the left by sub Iain Russell.

Morton manager Kenny Shiels said: “The players are down which is human nature but we still have to fight and do a lot better.”

Livingston 1 Dumbarton 2

Dumbarton boss Ian Murray was relieved to see his team keep their play-off hopes alive after a smash and grab against 10-man Livi.

Nejc Mevlja had opened the ?scoring for the home side but late goals from Chris Turner and Chris Kane kept the Sons in the hunt.

And Murray (right) said: “We had to win the game to have a realistic chance of making the top four and I’m delighted with the way we ?dominated the second half.”

The home side broke the deadlock after 28 minutes with the unmarked Mevlja heading home Keaghan Jacobs’ corner from the right.

Livi captain Jason Talbot got a straight red for kicking Paul McGinn in the chest after 82 minutes and that was the turning point.

Four minutes later Turner levelled from the spot after Craig Sives pulled Kane’s shirt in the box. And two minutes from time sub Garry ?Fleming’s shot was blocked by Ewings and Kane netted the loose ball.

Livi manager John McGlynn said: “We’d have had a better chance of holding on to our lead if we’d kept 11 men on the park.”

Alloa Athletic 0 Raith Rovers 1

Rovers boss Grant Murray watched his side earn three points – and insisted it was ?the perfect warm-up ahead of ?Sunday’s Ramsdens Cup Final with Rangers.

After a goalless first half Raith scored three minutes into the restart when Callum Booth fired home a free-kick to seal victory.

Murray said: “It was just fantastic to get three points and it gives us a great boost ahead of next Sunday’s final.”

Alloa should have gone in at half-time leading but veteran Darren Young hit the bar from only four yards out in the 26th minute after his header from Ryan McCord’s corner had been blocked.

Four minutes into the ?second half and Raith scored the only goal of the game.